„STOPGAME-1”

Everything got mixed up at Stopgeim station. Nobody remembers why the miracle of engineering was called that way. Perhaps the author of the name thought it was witty to name a huge spaceship after an old gaming site, or perhaps the author did not think at all.

Since Maxim Solodilov moved from the research division to the leisure division, each expedition has been complicated by the restructuring of the team’s schedule. Since one of the team dropped out, this gap had to be filled either by a person with a different specialty or by a researcher who had already worked the previous shift.

Station "Stopgeim" – the first and only station for terraforming Mars. It’s not that there are serious problems with the Earth, or as some people pompously call it, Terra, it’s just that humanity, as always, is drawn to adventures. At first, the station was primarily engaged in researching the surface of the new planet and studying and developing the possibilities of its settlement. Each landing of a group of scientists was accompanied by new discoveries and amazing experiments that gave the team motivation to continue working. But with each new experiment, with each new task, it all began to look more like a routine. One day, a command was received from the Head of the Research Scientific Vanguard of Terra, also known as RINAT, to stop research and scientific activities and begin placing instruments and equipment on the surface of Mars that would automatically begin working with the soil and atmosphere of the planet. This work is so simple that even a loader could handle it, but since it is difficult to find extra hands in space, research scientists were sent to this work, including Maxim Solodilov, besides him, in this group there were and are luminaries of world science: Vasily Galperov, Arthur Davidzbak, Maxim Milyazev, Gleb Meshcheryakov, Daur Avidzba (Arthur’s brother) and Anton Pauli, as well as Dmitry Kungurov, who also served as a surface foreman, being a certified master of geology. There is another master at the station who did not miss a moment to remind about his education, but the most he could get for himself was a huge cabin on two floors and an additional mountain of work to work out his stay in it.

Maxim Solodilov can be understood. His exciting and unique job changed to carrying instruments and taking readings. In rare cases, it was necessary to collect materials from the ground and deliver them to Dmitry Kungurov. But even after becoming a leisure worker, Maxim and Vasily descended to the surface of Mars every month to collect data on the flight of their station from radars.

At the time of the events described below, Stopgeym had been in orbit for more than twenty years. There was still a lot of work to be done, but the resource of human health, especially mentally, was running out. During this time, the team managed to establish a common way of life, find a common language, accept each other’s pros and cons, and now the moment was slowly approaching when everyone would begin to get tired of each other in a closed team.

– Again we need an extra person to work today. – Dmitry Kungurov said loudly, being in the station hall with other “researchers” already ready to depart. He clearly hoped that at least today he would not have to turn to Maxim Kulakov for help in finding volunteers and that someone would volunteer himself. He was lucky, he didn’t have to contact the person in charge of the station’s life support division. Mrs. passed by. For some reason, no one called her by name, perhaps it had already been forgotten, because everyone believed that she was at the station as a mascot.

– It’s my pleasure! – the Mistress shouted and ran up to Kungurov’s group, next to whom Arthur, Daur and Gleb were already standing. Meanwhile, the familiar intro of the “Cinemagraphy” program came from the station’s speakers. Programs that were created at the station by the leisure division, including Maxim Solodilov. Each time it fell out at the moment when Dmitry and his team were leaving for the shuttle.

– Great! Grab your suitcases with equipment and follow me!

Having sorted the cargo, the group went through the lobby to the checkpoint for the shuttle. At the moment of sealing the doors, Kungurov heard the welcoming words of the program presenters and thought about something.

Katerina Krasnopolskaya, and this is the name the Lady went by according to the expedition documents, was completely undeservedly deprived of attention as a professional. Not many people already remembered that she was accepted to the station as one of the most outstanding young scientists, who handed in scientific papers almost every week, and during her full-time work as part of the Stopgame team, she was at the forefront of science, new research and bold adventures. Why then did the team not take her seriously?? Perhaps everything was overshadowed by her beauty. Although, according to Arthur, Dmitry was more handsome, that is why he (Arthur) could soberly evaluate Katerina’s work and help her with publishing research and communicating it to management.

Dmitry Kungurov was thinking about something all the way to the planet. Finally he turned to Daur, who was sitting next to him and asked:

– Well? What do you think when?

– When will we arrive?? About another hour of travel with all connections and disembarkation. – Daur answered looking at his watch.

– Not really. Two years ago you took fifteen samples for research. When will the remaining twelve be ready??

– It’s a hard job, you know. There are so many layers!

– No, there are not eight layers,” Daur muttered in confusion

– Eight times you told me about layers. Six about the complexity of the structure and about twenty about the mixed timing of indicators. So after all, when? – looking carefully into Daur’s eyes, Dmitry asked.

– The first one will be ready in a month,” Daur said, lowering his eyes, quite clearly.

– Great, and so that nothing bothers you, you are exempt from Friday entertainment events on a voluntary-compulsory basis.

And without waiting for an answer, Dmitry left his seat, unfastened his seat belts, and, reaching another row, sat down next to Gleb. While Katerina was already offering to help Daur with collecting data, and Arthur was trying to convince his brother that the process would go faster with her, Gleb lazily turned to Dmitry and asked:

– https://gamblingdata.net/casinos/millionpot-casino/ About my productivity?

– No, I want to ask for advice.

– Here is Maxim, who is Solodilov, in the scientific group longer than me. But I, as the head of the surface research group, have questions for him. I would even say, presenting. Accumulated.

– So this is what I should do with it? For the whole year, he went down to the surface with us only five times. Yes, not counting his work downstairs with Vasily. Yes, he is busy in his leisure time. But don’t you think it’s somehow unfair??

– There is such a thing. talked to him?

– A little. But somehow they didn’t come to anything, and then it seemed as if everything had already accumulated.

– “Maybe it wasn’t worth saving,” Gleb noted.

– I’m asking you now. In this current situation.

– Don’t know. I suggest you start by talking to him.

– Reasonable. – Dmitry answered and fell silent until the end of the journey to the Martian soil.

Returning to Stopgame, Dmitry went to RINAT with a report on the absence of incidents and the completion of the day’s task. There he decided to raise the issue of Maxim, since in this matter he definitely needed the support of a more experienced crew member. Forty minutes later, Kungurov was already going to Maxim with parting words from RINAT: “you can remove him from work in the leisure part of the station, but for the rest, do as you see fit."Maxim had already returned from the radio room and was reading something in the cabin. Dmitry knocked on the door, and having received permission, went inside.

– Like ether? – Kungurov asked sympathetically.

– Fine. Discussed the new film. They will send it to us soon. We’ll see next week. Are you on business??

– Yes. I need your help.

– We don’t have enough hands on the surface, and it would be nice if you came back.

– So I go there every month anyway.

– “Let’s be honest,” Dmitry decided not to beat around the bush, “you don’t do that much work there.”. But we have a mountain of worries and the whole Earth expects success from us.

– Wait. I go downstairs every month. Here I am busy on air every week. Am I doing nothing?

– What about? – Maxim asked slightly irritably.

– We don’t have enough scientific hands to do the work.

– So you’re not doing much scientific work there anymore. Carry suitcases back and forth and do regular checks and adjustments.

– Yes. And if we had another experienced hands, we could please our dear earthlings with research and scientific work. Maybe science could be pushed forward.

– Okay, who will take care of the “Cinemagraphists”?

– I apparently. – Kungurov answered quietly, understanding the complexity of the situation.

– I mean, I work downstairs, working on research here, and you’re warming your ass in the radio room?

– That is until you turn in a little more work.

– And then you will say that the work is not breakthrough enough and you will demand to redo it?

– Where did you get the idea?? – Dmitry asked confused.

– What? – Kungurov was completely taken aback.

– Do you have more options??

– Yes, – said Maxim and went to the lower decks.

– Stop! What did you come up with?! – The head of the ground group ran after Maxim.

Having reached the lower deck, Maxim stopped next to the airlock.

– I’m leaving Stopgame! – and went out the airlock.

The gateway was old and did not work.

The entire station suffocated due to an oxygen leak.

When people on earth learned about what had happened, the world was mired in the Fourth World War for resources, since relocation to Mars seemed too dangerous to the leaders of corporations and countries.

Everyone who followed the fate of "Stopgeym" suffocated in the chemical attacks of the war.

– Oh hi guys! Something serious happened?
Katerina and Daur were walking past Maxim’s cabin when Maxim practically crashed into them with a confident gait.
– Hello. Nothing. “Yes,” answered Maxim a little less confidently. – Just need to finish one thing.
– So let me help! I’ve completed some amazing things this year!! Well, you read it! – Krasnopolskaya blurted out joyfully. – wait for me in the dining room, Daur, it looks like these two have something very serious. Although, wait! – Mrs. Dauru shouted. – It’s better to find experts on this issue, otherwise judging by these faces, they will solve this very poorly without us.
The faces of the participants were truly expressive. Very determined, but surprisingly out of their minds. Although Katerina flew into them and slowed down their determination to solve everything here and now, it did not stop them from trying to do something emotional and not very well thought out.
– Madam, really, we’ll figure it out ourselves, we’re not small. – Maxim said quietly.
– Yes, now he will calm down and we will finish transferring tasks.
– I won’t calm down! – Maxim shouted and tried to pass by again.
– Here come the guys! Daur, Mr. Kulakov, Vasily! Let’s go here! It is necessary to hold a symposium with a consultation at a meeting of experts.
With difficulty, the debaters managed to be pushed back into the cabin and seated in the corners. Due to the lack of sufficient furniture, the panel of diplomats had to sit on the floor.
– What’s the question? – the guests of the cabin asked, raising their heads to Maxim sitting on the bed.
– According to Dmitry Kungurov, I should work more where he wants and less where I want. Or rather, not work at all where I want.
Heads turned synchronously to Dmitry.
– I want those who sent us here to receive the best scientific knowledge. And only the best of us can ensure this, including Maxim Solodilov. And what he is doing now is not so valuable.
– Yes, I also somehow miss Maxim in the laboratory,” Daur noted.
– The science center misses you too. – Vasily said almost inaudibly.

After about an hour the meeting ended. Maxim and Dmitry had already cooled down, but neither was ready to make concessions.
– We are ready to offer a solution, announced Mrs. Mr. Kulakov, help with this from the height of your authority.
– Thank you. You know, I’m also something of a scientist. I also once wrote articles. I made materials, and I understand how difficult it can be to start writing again. We can only offer one option. Suspend the full activities of Cinemamatics for a month until Maxim Solodilov returns to producing works. And then, if he can, let him combine. And Dmitry, don’t let things get like this next time. Conduct outreach conversations regularly.
– Did I say I agree?? – Maxim Solodilov perked up again – and if later he doesn’t like something again? He will say that this is not it, he will be suspended for another month. And the audience? We actually have regular viewers who wait for us every week.
– “As for the audience,” Vasily intervened, “regular viewers, including this, are a much more tolerant audience towards our problems.”. Especially when they (problems) are quite real. Maybe we should ask them if they are ready for a month’s break until our little crisis is over.
– I think I will express the general opinion that Dmitry, even being first among equals during the landing, is still part of the Stopgame team and our opinion will be important for him in matters of quality of materials. – summed up Maxim Kulakov.
Solodilov closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair in his corner.
– I need to think.

The text is available for reading by those who donated their money to the best game of the decade – Prey.
(The release date of the add-on is being confirmed.)